Goods-exhibitor.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. SCHAEFFER, OF WESTREADINQ PENNSYLVANIA.

GOODS-EXHIBITOR.

sPnciFIoATIoN forming pere Aer Lettere Patent No. 663,046, dated December 4, 190e.

Application filed March 22, 1900. Serial No. 9,7652 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. Senkun- FER, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Goods-EX- hibitors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchv as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to goods-exhibitors for displaying merchandisesuch as oil-cloth, linoleum, matting, carpets, and the like-in rolls or bolts, the device being of such construction as to accommodate rolls or bolts of varying lengtl1,thereby eminently adapting it for holding oil-cloth and linoleum which vary in width and form rolls of different lengths.

An essential feature of the invention is the provision of a device of the character and for the purposes aforesaid which can be shipped and stored' in a knockdown condition and which can be quickly set up for use by the merchant and which can be moved from one place to another with the greatest ease and turned so as to bring the required piece of merchandise into position for inspection or other purpose.

The invention also consists of the novel features, details of construction, and combinat-ion of the parts, which hereinafter will be more fully disclosed and finally claimed, and for this purpose and also to acquire a knowledge of the merits of the invention and the structural details of the means whereby the results are attained reference is to be had to the appended description and the drawings hereto attached. l

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a goodsexhibitor constructed in accordance with and embodying the essential features of this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the spindle and socket on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing different ways of connecting the retainers to the support.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The exhibitor comprises, essentially, a platform 1, mounted upon casters 2, and holders for the goods to be displayed, said holders being of novel formation, as will presently appear.

The platform 1 lnay be of any diametrical extent and outline, and is preferably of circular form, and is constructed so as to rotate about a vertical axis when located in a selected spot. The platform may be of wood, metal, a combination of the two, or any material suitable for the purpose, but is preferably constructed of cast-iron for the sake of strength, neatness of appearance, and economy of manufacture.- An opening 3 is formed centrally of the platform and is adapted to receive the spindle 4, about which the exhibitor is adapted to rotate when displaying the goods. A series of seats 5 are formed at regular intervals upon the top side of the platform adjacent to its outer edge, and consist of approximately U-shaped flanges rising vertically from the platform and decreasing in depth toward their outer ends, at which points the iianges merge into the plane of the platform. The inner or closed ends of the seats are sufliciently high to prevent lateral and inward displacement of the goods placed therein. By having the outer portions of the liangesmerge into the plane of the platform they are prevented from coming in contact with the person, draperies, clothing, and the like and injuring the same, which would be. liable to take place if the flanges extended to the outer edge of the platform and projected vertically therefrom. A second set of seats 6 is provided at the inner portion of the platform concentric with the outer seats 5 and are designed to receive the lower ends of such merchandise as brooms, curtain-rollers, and kindred articles of comparatively great length and small diameter. The concentric sets of seats 5 and 6 are formed integral with the platform at the time of casting, as will be readily understood.

The platform l constitutes a lower support, and an upper support 7 coperates therewith and is located two feet (more or less) above the platform, the distance depending upon IOO the specific purpose vfor which the exhibitor is constructed. This support 7 conforms, approximately, to the outline of the outer edge of the platform 1 and is an annulus, being preferably constructed of metal and having a plurality of notches or depressions 8 in its outer edge corresponding in position and number with the seats 5 of the platform and alining vertically therewith. The respective notches or depressions 8 'and the seats 5 form individualv holders to receive the merchandise to be displayed, the lower ends of the rolls 9 being received in the seats 5 and the upper portion entering the notches or depressions 8.` Retainers 10 coperate with the notches or depressions 8 to hold the rolls 9 against outward displacement, and these retainers may be flexible connections of any kind and are preferably short lengths of chain having one end secured to the horn or projecting portion 11, separating adjacent notches or depressions 8, and adapted to have the opposite end detachably connected with the next adjacent horn or projection after the chain has been passed around the roll. The chains 10 may be secured to the horns or projections 11 in any desired manner, one terminal link being looped into an opening, as shown at 12, and the opposite end being formed into a hook 13 to engage the opening 12 of the adjacent horn, as clearly illustrated. In the preferred construction pins or studs 14 project vertically from the terminal portions of the horns l1, and a link of the chains 10 is engaged therewith, the links at the free end portions of the chains being designed to be engaged with the -pin or stud 14 of the horn 11 adjacent to that having the chain normally connected therewith` whereby provision is had for lengthening and shortening the effective lengths of the chains according to the diametrical extent of the rolls 9, placed in the respective holders.

.Arms 15 are attached at one end to the support '7 andY extend inward and terminate in clips 16, which are disposed in vertical alinement with the respective seats 6 and are intended to grasp su ndry articles-such as broom-hand]es,curtainpoles, curtain-rollers, and the like-the lower ends of said articles being stepped in the seats 6 andthe upper portions engaged by the clips 16. This construction admits of the inner portion of theplatform being advantageously utilized. The upper support 7 is secured to the platform by standards 17in any substantial manner which will readily admit of a dismemberment of the parts when it is required to reduce the structure to a compact form for transportation or storage. Y

It is desirable to have the exhibitor occupy a fixed position with reference to the salesroom or other place, and for this purpose a spindle 4 is located at the selected spot and is made fast to the base or door 18. This spindle is depressible, so as to clear the platform and enable the exhibitor with its load of merchandise to be rolled out upon'the floor or surface to display the goods to better ad- Vantage or to be transported from one part of the salesroom to another, the device being` utilized in the capacity of atruck. When the spindle is engaged with the central opening 3 of the platform, the lat-ter can be rotated about the spindle as a vertical axis, so as to bring any desired piece of merchandise into convenient position for examination or accessibility. The spindle is telescopically relatedwith reference to a socket 19, secured to the base or floor 18, and this socket has an inner lia'nge 20 at its upper end to engage with an outer flange 21 at the lower end of the spindle 4, and these two iianges prevent vertical displacement of the spindle. A spring 22 is located within the socket 19 and exerts an upward pressure against the spindle 4 to hold it projected and in engagement with the opening 3 of the platform. When moving the exhibitor toward and from the spindle, the latter is pressed within the socket 19, and its upper end rides under the platform as the latter passes thereover. The instant the opening 3 registers with the spindle 4 the spring 22, regaining itself', projects the spindle into the said opening 3 and fixes the position of the exhibitor. When it is required to disengage the platform from the spindle, a rod or like device is resorted to and brought in contact with the upper end of the spindle and presssed upon to push the spindle within the socket 19 until it clears the lower side of the platform, when the latter can be moved in the desired direction. As will be readily understood, the upper end of the spindle bears against the lower side of the platform when the latter is riding thereover, and in order to reduce the friction to the smallest amount possible and, further, to prevent the upper end of the spindle catching against any part of the platform said spindle is preferably provided at its upper end with a caster-ball 33 orl may be rounding, as desired.

The construction of the exhibitor is such that a roll of merchandise may be placed upon the outer edge portion of the platform and moved laterally until it registers with a seat 5, when an inward movement will cause it to enter the said seat and the notch or depression 8 in the upper support 7in vertical alinement with the said seat. The retainer 10 is passed around the upper portion of the roll, and its loose end is engaged with the coperating projection 11 and holds the roll in place, as will be readily comprehended. Inasmuch as overhanging portions are dispensed with, the exhibitor is adapted to receive rolls of different lengths, as clearly indicated, the distance of the upper support 7 above the platform being such as to'accommodate the shortest roll. When the bulk of the roll of goods diminishes by cutting porvtions therefrom, the eective length of the chains or retainers 10 can be proportionately IOO IIO

shortened by engaging the desired link at the outer portion with a pin or stud 14.

In exhibitors having pins and studs 14 at the outer ends of the parts 11 said pins may be provided either by forming them separate and attaching them to the support 7, as shown at d, or by bending the outer terminals of the parts 11 at a right angle to the plane of the said support 7, as indicated at b. The latter construction is preferred, as it materially reduces the cost of construction and obviates the provision of extraneous fastenings and joints.

The upper end of the socket 19 is formed with a groove 24, constituting a lower racc, and the bottom side of the platform 1 is provided with a companion groove or race 25, matching with the race 24, and balls 26 are located in the races 24 and 25 and supplement the action of the casters 2 in securing an easy rotation of the exhibitor when rotating it about the spindle to bring the desired piece of goods within easy reach.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. Agoodsexhibitor or display-stand, comprising in its organization a platform or lower support provided upon its top side with a series of seats, a su pportlocated above the platform and connected therewith and having its outer edge notched or formed with depressions corresponding in number and position with the seats of the platform, the respective notches and seats alining vertically and constitutingindividual holders, and retainers cooperating with the holders and consisting of short lengths of chain or analogous exible connection having one end permanently attached to the horn or projection at one side of a notch or depression in the upper support and adapted to have its opposite end detachably connected with the adjacent horn or pro- 'jection at the opposite side of the notch or depression, substantially as set forth.

2. A goods exhibitor and display stand, comprising a platform having a series of seats around the outer portion of its top side formed by approximately U shaped flanges which gradually decrease in depth from their'inner to their outer ends, which latter merge into the plane of the platform, a support located above the platform and connected therewith and having notches or depressions in its outer portion corresponding in number and position with the seats of the platform, and individual retainers for each of the notches or depressions of the upper support and permanent-ly attached at one end to the horn or projection at one side of the depression and adapted to make detachable connection with the horn or projection at the opposite side of the depression, substantially as specified.

3. In a goods-exhibitor, a platform provided upon its top side with inner and outer sets of seats, a support located above the platform and connected therewith and liaving notches or depressions in its outer portion corresponding in number and position with the outer set of seats of the platform, and arms projecting inward from the said support and provided at their inner or free ends with clips or engaging devices to cooperate with the aforesaid inner sets of seats, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a goods-exhibitor comprising a platform having a central opening and mounted upon casters for rotation and movement over a surface, a fixed socket, aspindle telescopically related with reference to the socket and adapted to enter the opening of the platform and constitute a vertical axis for the exhibitor to rotate about, and a spring norm ally exerting an upward pressure upon the spindle to hold it in engagement with the platform, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a goods-exhibitor comprising a platform having a central opening and mounted upon casters for rotation and movement over a surface, a fixed socket having an inner flange, a spindle movable within the socket and having an outer liange at its lower end and adapted to enter the opening of the platform and constitute a vertical axis therefor, and a spring located with in the socket and normally exerting an upward pressure against the spindle, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a goods-exhibitor comprising a platform provided with a central opening, and a race in its lower side concentric with said opening and mounted upon casters, a relativelyfixed socket having an inner flange at its upper end and a race in itsupper edge corresponding with the race of the platform, a spindle movable within the socket and having an outer ange at its lower end and a caster-ball in its top end, a spring located within the socket and exerting an upward pressure against the spindle to hold it projected and within the opening of the aforesaid platform, and antifriction-balls located in the aforesaid races, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

CHARLES i1. scnAnriER.

Witnesses:

J. M. HAIN, GEO. O. STARKE.

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